MISSION SUPPORT
TOGETHER – Making Mission Happen!
Mission Support represents our connectedness as a church and our desire to respond to God’s call to love and serve our neighbor in as many places as we can across our nation and around the world. Yes it is a dollar amount shared from congregations with our synod, but most importantly it is all about making mission happen! Our Synods and the churchwide organization steward Mission Support to fund ministries within our synod, the ELCA and to share with partner ministries such as Lutheran Social Services, campus ministry, outdoor ministry, and ELCA colleges and seminaries. Here is the Delaware-Maryland Synod we share 47% of every dollar we receive in mission support with the ELCA to make ministry happen across our nation and globe.
Our Synod spending occurs throughout our four areas of Discipleship, Connectedness, Communication and Leadership. To learn more about how we spent our gifts and resources, click below on graph.
Find out how the ELCA uses the mission support we send from our synod by checking out this Mission Support – A Deep Dive.
Stories of Faith In Action is a fantastic resource that shares stories of how ELCA Mission Support dollars are making a difference across the nation and around the world. Check out this interactive version of the SOFIA.
Here is a great study guide on mission support to use with your congregation. Plus check out a whole collection of ideas on how to talk about The Mission in Mission Support by clicking here.
2020 De-Md Synod Congregation Mission Support TRANSMITTAL
Click here for the Congregational Transmittal Form (if you prefer here is an excel version of the Transmittal)
2020/2021 De-Md Synod Congregation Mission Support Commitment
NEW – complete your Congregation Mission Support Commitment form online! You can find it in Resources or access here. Our Delaware-Maryland Synod thanks each of our congregations for your commitment. In these times let us explore how the Spirit is guiding us to live out God’s mission in our congregations, synod and across our greater church in 2021.
TIPS, TALKING POINTS, AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
MISSION SUPPORT- IT’S ALL ABOUT MISSION!
TIPS
The way we talk about Mission Support is so important –it can make all the difference in helping people make the connection to mission:
- Do your communications (announcements, bulletin messages, newsletter articles) emphasize mission first or money first?
- Do you talk about stewardship and Mission Support as an opportunity for living out our faith or as an obligation/duty?
- Do you share stories about people impacted by ministry or do you focus on the budget’s bottom line?
TALKING POINTS
- Mission Support allows us to act as church together for the sake of the world
- Mission Support is the foundation and the fuel to do God’s work in the world
- Mission Support means we can say “Yes” to the world in ways no individual congregation or synod can by itself
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- In what ways is our congregation passionate about serving our neighbors beyond our community?
- What are the ministries stewarded by our synod and by our churchwide organization that connect with these passions?
- How can we share the stories of these ministries with our congregation members so they know how they are a part of making a difference across the nation and the around world?
RESOURCES
- Stories of Faith In Action is one resource that shares stories of how ELCA Mission Support dollars are making a difference across the nation and around the world:
https://www.livinglutheran.org/sofia/
- Budget is a another great way to focus on mission first. Narrative budgets bring the ministry of the church community to life. Some resources include:
https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Giving_Thought_to_a_Narrative_Budget.pdf
https://www.centerforfaithandgiving.org/Portals/CFG/Narrative%20Budgetting%20Judith%20Johnson.pdf